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Delicious Baked Balsamic Asparagus is an easy side dish made with tender stalks of asparagus roasted with cherry tomatoes in olive oil and seasonings and then finished with freshly shaved parmesan cheese, balsamic glaze, and fresh herbs. Ready to enjoy in just 15 minutes and the perfect pairing to almost any meal.
Another great asparagus side dish recipe that you will love is my Parmesan Baked Asparagus recipe.
This Baked Balsamic Asparagus recipe has quickly become one of our favorite ways to enjoy this superfood of a vegetable. Not only is it absolutely delicious and a great accompaniment to so many main dishes, but it’s also so good for you! It’s also made in a flash with minimal ingredients.
The addition of balsamic vinegar takes it to another level. I am so lucky my kids love balsamic vinegar and they gobble this up each time I make it! 😍
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Incredibly tasty: The combination of tender asparagus with vine-ripened, juicy cherry tomatoes deliciously seasoned and topped with parmesan cheese is out of this world!
- Quick & easy to make: This is a simple recipe that only takes about 5 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking.
- Good for you: Packed with nutrients and fiber.
Ingredients needed
Balsamic asparagus with cherry tomatoes is made with simple and readily available ingredients. It’s one of those dishes that will stay in our regular dinner rotation! Here’s everything needed to make it:
- Asparagus: Try to get them fresh
- Olive oil: you can also use avocado oil.
- Seasonings: Just kosher salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning
- Cherry tomatoes: You can use grape tomatoes. If you can find them on the vine, they will be the freshest.
- Parmesan cheese: Shaved or shredded will work
- Balsamic glaze: use your favorite brand.
- Fresh parsley: Adds a pop of color and freshness, you can swap it with fresh basil.
See a full list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card below!
How to make it
This is one of the easiest most delicious side dish recipes! Here’s the simple process:
- Prep asparagus: Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Trim about 1 inch off the ends of your asparagus and place it on the sheet pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss with your hands to coat. Bring it to one side of the sheet pan.
- Add tomatoes: To the other side add the cherry tomatoes on the vine and coat with the remaining oil, salt, and pepper.
- Season & bake: Sprinkle everything with Italian seasoning. Bake for 8 minutes, then remove from the oven and sprinkle with the parmesan. Broil for 1-2 minutes.
- Finish & serve: Drizzle with the balsamic glaze and garnish with parsley, if desired. Finally, serve & enjoy!
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tips
- Buy fresh asparagus: I do not recommend using frozen vegetables for this recipe. With roasting, everything will become mushy and lack flavor.
- Storing fresh asparagus: To keep asparagus fresh longer, place the uncooked stalks in a jar with a few inches of water (stem-side down) like a bunch of flowers. Loosely cover it with a plastic bag and store it in the fridge for up to about a week.
- Trimming asparagus: You’ll want to trim off the “stem” of the asparagus stalks, as it tends to be tough and hard to chew. Bend the stalk and wherever it snaps (usually about 1 inch from the bottom) is where the tender part starts and the tough part ends. From there, you can continue snapping or line up the stalks and use a knife to cut off the bottom from about the same place as where the first piece of asparagus snapped.
Frequently asked questions
You will definitely want to rinse off the stalks of asparagus to remove any grit, but beyond that, soaking is not necessary. After rinsing, be sure to dry the stalks completely.
Asparagus is done cooking when it’s tender but still has a slight bite to it. To check for doneness, you can pierce one of the spears with a fork or take a bite of one to see if it is crisp-tender. You don’t want them to be undercooked and difficult to chew or overcooked and mushy.
For the most delicious asparagus, I added just enough seasoning, roasting it in a hot oven with cherry tomatoes, and then finishing the recipe with freshly shaved parmesan cheese and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
Serving suggestions
Balsamic asparagus is perfect as a side for an easy weeknight meal, yet elegant enough to serve for the holidays. Here are some great pairing options:
Storage recommendations
This recipe for baked asparagus with tomatoes is best served when it’s freshly cooked, but it will keep at room temperature for up to 1 hour or up to about 2 to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Rewarm in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the oven before serving.
More healthy side dish recipes
Thanks for stopping by! If you make this dish or any of my other recipes, I would really appreciate you taking the time to comment and rate it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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Baked Balsamic Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 pound thick asparagus
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes on the vine
- 1/2 cup freshly shaved parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoon balsamic glaze
- Optional: 1 tbsp chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Trim about 1 inch off the ends of your asparagus and place it on the sheet pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss with your hands to coat. Bring it to one side of the sheet pan.
- To the other side add the cherry tomatoes on the vine and coat with the remaining oil, salt, and pepper.
- Sprinkle everything with the Italian seasoning. Bake for 8 minutes, then remove from the oven and sprinkle with the parmesan. Broil for 1-2 minutes. Drizzle with the balsamic glaze and garnish with parsley, if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was so good! We make it all the time.